'tea' on Serious Eats

When Theresa Wong experienced a Chinese tea ceremony for the first time, she hadn't considered "the difference between drinking tea and tasting tea." Five years later, the former insurance saleswomanguides customers through tastings at a small gourmet tea shop for a living. More

The waiters are all male. And nearly all of the diners are females—how great is that? Welcome to tea at Lady Mendl's, a Victorian tearoom tucked inside the Inn at Irving Place, just steps away from Casa Mono. More

Afternoon Tea at The Mark, a Jean-Georges restaurant, is a quiet and precious affair. It's $40 per person for the full tea service, though you may opt for only savory or sweets, at $22 each. Tea is served daily from 3:00-5:00pm and reservations are recommended, to seats on the plush hotel couches. Whether you're alone or with friends, each person is presented with individual three-tier trays. More

We've mentioned Cha-An frequently in the past, most often for the lunch deal and sweet takes on classic Japanese desserts. A little-known offering at Cha-An is the Afternoon Tea, perhaps the cheapest in the city at $18 per person. More

The Tea Set opened in the West Village late last year, earning a short article in the New York Times and not much press after. And it's for that reason this place remains a quiet gem. A sliver of a spot right off Greenwich Avenue, the entrance is blocked by construction right outside and health nuts at Equinox across the street. But make your way to this colorful restaurant/tea shop and you'll be glad you did. More

Afternoon tea is served daily from 2pm at the Crosby Street Hotel. Hotel guests may opt to take tea in the private drawing room, and others simply dropping by will find a cozy spot inside the hotel's Bar and Terrace. The price of $34 per person is about what you can expect at most Manhattan hotels' teas—where you pay just as much for the Soho setting as you do the food. More

The walls are lined with teacups, the counter is lined with cakes, and the staff are all very friendly and very British. Often you'll see a solitary expat sitting at one of the small tables nursing a plate of bangers and mash and a good book. It's no wonder that a place this charmingly British would win me over in an instant. More

teapigs doesn't work with tea bags, but "tea temples," little mesh pyramids with whole leaf tea that make all the difference when preparing tea in an environment where loose leaf tea isn't the most practical. More

Just around the corner from In Pursuit of Tea on Crosby Street, the newly opened Harney & Sons in Soho may be yet another destination for tea aficionados, but it's also a spot ideal for delicate lunches. More

[Photo: Kathy YL Chan] At lunch, Via Emilia is welcoming, though quiet, with many single diners—newspapers, books, and Blackberries in hand. I spotted salads at most tables: a shame, because as fantastic as those salads may look, the real... More

[Photo: Kathy YL Chan] Organic Apple-Lemon Kuki-Cha Tea ($3.50). The name is a mouthful. At Souen Marcobiotic, you can get Organic Apple-Lemon Juice or Kuki-Cha Tea—or you can get them together, mixed and served cold. Kuki-Cha also goes by... More

[Photo: Visit London] Fancy a cuppa? Stop by the second floor of the Time Warner Center today, anytime from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, for a classic English tea party. As part of their "Only in London" campaign, official... More

[Photo: Kathy Chan] At The Tea and Honey Store inside Grand Central Terminal, it's not about deciding between tea or honey. It's all about the word "and." The staff here are experts on pairing the two classic companions, satisfying... More